Battle of the Improv All-Stars 2026

The Battle of the Improv All-Stars 2026 features the Brave New Workshop of Minneapolis, a Resident Theatre of Hennepin Theatre Trust. The troupe has spent decades writing, producing, and performing original sketch and improv comedy, and this event puts its performers in the spotlight for an evening of quick-witted, unscripted comedy.

The company was founded by Dudley Riggs, a fifth-generation circus aerialist, after his early troupe settled in Minneapolis and evolved into a satirical comedy theatre. Over the years it has mounted nearly 400 original productions for more than three million people. Its alumni include Louie Anderson, Mo Collins, Tom Davis, and Al Franken.

After a pandemic-era closure, the Brave New Workshop returned to the stage as a Resident Theatre of Hennepin Theatre Trust. Attendees can expect the fast, collaborative energy of improvisation and the sharp, original writing that has kept the theatre at the center of the local comedy scene for decades.